Automatic emergency train line air control



June 20, 1939. J. w. PRICE 2,163,519

AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY TRAIN LINE AIR CONTROL Filed Dec. 29. 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 20, 1939. pRiCE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY TRAIN LINE AIR CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29. 1937 INVENTOR 3 ATTORNEYS Y (Tamara '1'??? V m If v1 W W Patented June 20, 1939 AUTOMATIG EMERGENCY TRAIN LINE AIR CONTROL James W. Price, Charleston, S. C.

Application December 29, 1937, Serial No, 182,344

4 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic emergency train-line air control and more particularly to air couplers employed for detachably connecting the air lines of coupled cars in train formation, and has for the primary object the provision of means which normally permits free air flow between cars when in train formation and adapted to automatically bleed air lines of cars which accidentally become detached from the cars of the forward portion of the train while in motion so that the brakes will be applied or set on the detached cars and thereby bring about stopping thereof while the air lines of the front or unattached cars of the train are prevented from bleeding, consequently retaining the brakes of said forward cars released so that the front portion of the train may proceed away from the detached cars and thereby obviate the danger of the uncoupled or detached cars from running into the forward portion of the train and causing damages and injury to the occupants of the train.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly in section, illustratingan air line coupler of a conventional construction equipped with my invention.

Figure 2 shows one of the sections of the coupler equipped with the invention.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view illustrating one of the valves.

Figure 5 is an end view showing said valve.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral l indicates in entirety an air line coupler of a conventional construction, including the usua1 nipple portions 2 on which are mounted the air hose of the air train line (not shown). The coupler also consists of the ports 3 establishing communication between the sections of the coupler when said sections are brought in locked engagement with each other.

Each nipple portion of the coupler terminates in the form of a valve seat 4 and coacting with said seat is a valve 5 including a stem 6 slidably supported by guides l forming a part of the coupler. Curved arms 8 are adjustably mounted on the stems of the valves and are disposed in the ports 3 of the coupler so that when the sections of the coupler are brought in coupled position the arms engage and slide the valves into unseated position permitting free flow of air through the coupler.

The sections of the coupler have threaded therein set bolts 9 capable of being brought into engagement with the stems of the valves for securing said valves in an unseated position.

t is to be understood that one section of the coupler is carried by one car and the other section carried by another car so that when said cars are coupled together and the sections of the coupler joined, the air lines of the cars will be opened to each other. The set screw of the section on the rear car is turned in engagement with its respective valve to hold the latter in an unseated position while the valve of the coupler section on the front car is left free.

In operation, in assembling the train of cars the various couplers connect the air lines of the cars as well as with the air line of the locomotive located at the forward end of the train. All valves of the couplers are in an open position at this time to permit free passage of the air pressure through the air line of the train. Each valve of the coupler section at the forward end of each car is secured in open position by tightening the respective set bolt thereagainst so that should any of the cars of the train become uncoupled while the train is in motion, the air line on the cars of the train which are not uncoupled is prevented from bleeding and bringing about the setting of the brakes by the valve of the last car of the forward portion of the train automatically closing under pressure, while the air line of the uncoupled cars is: permitted to bleed by the valve of the coupler section at the forward end of the forward detached car being opened bringing about setting of the brakes on the uncoupled or detached cars consequently stopping said cars and preventing them from overtaking or running into the cars of the forward portion of the train. Thereby accidents and damages incident to such causes will be eliminated.

What is claimed is:

1. An air line coupler comprising companion sections detachably connected, valve seats formed in said sections, guides carried by said sections, valves supported by said guides to coact with the seats, means carried by each of said valves to contact the other valve on the sections being brought into coupled position for moving the valves into unseated position, and means whereby either of said valves may be secured in an unseated position while the other valve is free to engage its seat under pressure should the sections become detached.

2. An air line coupler comprising companion sections detachably connected, valve seats formed in said sections, guides carried by said sections, valves supported by said guides to coact with the seats, means carried by each of said valves to contact the other valve on the sections being brought into coupled position for moving the valves into unseated position, and set bolts threaded in said sections to engage the valves whereby either of said valves may be secured in an open position While the other valve remains free to engage its respective seat under pressure should the sections become uncoupled.

3. An air line coupler comprising detachable companion sections having passages communicating with each other on the joining of the sections together, valve seats formed on said sections, guides formed in the sections, valves supported by said guides and engageable with said seats, arms adjustably secured on said valves to engage each other on the joining of the sections for unseating the valves, and set screws threaded in said sections and capable of engaging and disengaging with the valves whereby either of said valves may be secured in an open position while the other valve is left free to slide into engagement with its respective seat when subjected to pressure incident to accidental disconnection of the sections.

4. An air line coupler comprising companion sections each having an air passage communicating with the air passage in the other section when the two sections are connected, means carried by each section and cooperable on the other section for connecting the sections when rotated about a transverse axis, each section being provided with a valve seat and a movable valve arranged to have seating relation with said valve seat, said valves being movable in directions transversely of said transverse axis, means connected with each of said valves arranged to have contacting relation when said sections are ro tated into connected relation about said transverse axis to unseat the valves, and means for securing either valve in an unseated position while permitting the other valve to close under pressure.

JAMES W. PRICE. 

